The Southern herald., 1887-06-18

" lHc pOSlIIou-
GA regular mossback.'
"'Get stuck the first load, were the |
remarks overheard.
II think the skidders eonspired to
accomplish my failure, for never was
such load attached 10 one pair of
horses as they gave me for my first |
trip. The sleigh itself was monstrous
structure, with double-runners. nearly |
thirty feet in length and eight or ten
feet wide; and the load filed the whole
length and breadth of 1t, rearing itself
many feet above the horses. The whole
load weighed several tons. Upon it l
scrambled, alittle apprehensive, Imust
confess, that might not be able even
to stir it, and took the reins.
1.-THE road to the river, after o short
level piece, ran down long light
grade into valley, then up short
hill on the opposite side, The surface
was very icy, and the sleigh, contrary
to my expectations, slid smoothly even
at first starting. l could not refrain
from throwing backward look of
triumph to the skidders.
"Along we went in fine style. 1t
was a singing cold day, and the horses
felt full of life. l at first let them have
their head; but in moment we were
going at tremendous rate down the
grade, that ponderous load pushing MS
on, and making us 60 faster and faster
l began to be alarmed.
Sat that rate, the horses could not
keep out of the way, l thought, but
would be overtaken and crushed be-
meath the logs, and I-wcll, was in
danger of being hurt, at least. The
situation was growing perilous.
There was brake upon the sleigh.
l grasped 1t with one hand, and pulled
upon the horses with might and main.
But it was not easy holding them in
with such a load behind them, even
with brake, and it was some time
before the speed was Stacked to what
l considered safety.
"We arrived at the bottom without
mishap. Fancying that my danger and
troubles were over for that trip l
stopped moment to let the horses
breathe before taking the little hill be-
fore us. Unhappy conceit! The worst
was before us. The load once stopped
was almost immovable, and the great,
willing beasts, laying themselves near
ly to the ground in their powerful
efforts, could stir it only q few yards,
and then it would slip back to the bot
tom, dragging them with it.
Here was q fix. Fortunately, q
curve in the road hid my predicament
from the skidders. But what was to
be doneP would not go back for
help and acknowledge my defeat.
There was no other way than to un-
load q part of the logs, and this did
with great labor and the help of the
horses. The load being lightened,
managed to creep oyer the brow of the
pitch, and go on to the river.
Nothing was said when l arrived at
the skidways after an absence long
enough to have drawn four good
loads, but the men looked very know
ing, and / was dubbed 'mossback' by
the whole crew for the rest If the win
ter.
''The next time I went down that
grade l did not hold the horses in, nor
did set the brake. | shut my eyes
tight, and while l felt like one slidin 9
to destruction. l was resolved to GO
over that hill with my whole load, and
without stopping.
Faster and faster went the horses,
harder and more forcibly the huge load
pushed them on. Would they be able
to keep out from under the sledP. The
noble, intelligent animals, accustomed
to the work, understood the situation
better than did.
"On we went, recklessly. 1t seemed
like the swift run of coasters down the
long, steep hills at home, only then We
were not hitched TO such q terrible
propelling force.
"Iclutched the reins, and clung TO the
load with my whole strength. The ail
cut my face and whistled in my hair
Once the sleigh, getting little off thu
the usual ice track, slowed frightfully
the logs creaked and raeked, and on,
|, chain SNAPPED and flew of. ! IsupposeC
, that catastrophe was inevitable.
"But we were on again in a moment
and gliding at fearful rate over tn,
, ice. just at the bottom was steel
little pitch. We took it at jump, ant
' crossed the bottom with the speed o
the wind. We were safe. permitte'
| no Stacking up this time, and the bi;
load went up the hill with its owi
momentum nearly TO the top, wher
, the horses caught it in time to drag
4 over the brow of the hill. Lhad solvet
q the problem, and had no more troubl
: during the winter
( About midwinter an accident hap
pened which threw a gloom over tn
( whole company for long time. Their
; had been several SHOWS followed by rain
and the great piles Of logs at the skid
ways were frozen together in soil,
(; masa II was hard work to break then
Q down. and some of the strongest mel
j in the camp were detailed to do this.
"Among them was a young, blue
Q eyed German. named Otto Krcuzman
Z a giant in size and strength He wa
!. q great favorite in camp, full Of genia
Z good humor and quaint stories oi "